Apparatus for drying photographic prints or the like.



V. C. TENEAU. APPARATUS FOR DRYING PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS OR THE LIKE.

- APPLICATION FILED AUG. l4, I916. 1,227,092. Patented May 22, 1917.

. 5 SHEETS-SHEET l- V. C. TENEAU.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS OR THE LIKE.

V APPLICATION mnmue. 14. 191.6.- 1,227,092.

Patented May 22,1917.

- 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, v. C.TENEAU. APPARATUS-FOR DRYING PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTSOR THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. I4. 1916.

1,227,092. Patented May22,1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

V. C. IENEAU. APPARATUS FOR DRYING PHOIOGBAPHIC PRINTS OR THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. I4. I9I6.

1,227,092. Patented May 22, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

$1M uemm g, 7;: Law, 55,

V. C. TENEAU.

APPARATUS FOR DHYLNG PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. l4. I9I6.

Patented May 22, 1917;

5 SHEEIS-SHEET 5- b 0 A o o o o o A o O f 0 L o o o o 0 0 0 o 00 I k & I

. the end walls of a vanmvrin cons'ranr TENEAU, or NEW YORK, 1v. Y.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING- PIH IOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS OR THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 14, 1916. Serial No. 114,848.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VALENTIN CONSTANT TENEAU, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Photographic Prints or the like, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The invention relates to improvements in apparatusesfor drying sheet materials, and more particularly to that type of such apparatuses which are adapted for the drying of photographic prints or the like.

The main object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character mentioned, and one of a comparatively inexpensive and sim lified construction, wherein extreme 'rapidlty of operation is obtained with a minimum possi ility of injury to the sheets in their passage through the heating zone of the machine.

With this and other objects in view, the invention resides in the certain new and useful construction as will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which, j

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation opposite to that shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, f

Fi 5 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 5 of Fig. 1, and,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail-of one of the drum heating burners, its connections to the fuel supply pipe, and of one of eating drum.

Reference being had to the drawings, inwhich similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts in the several views thereof, the apparatus comprises a supporting frame formed preferably of a plurality of pipe sections suitably coupledtogether to provide vertically disposed side sections or standards 10., 11, 12 and 13, horizontally disposed side sections or members 14, 15, 16 and 17, and horizontal transversely disposed end sections or members 18 and 19, the vertically disposed side sections or members 11 and 13 being of greater length than that of the side sections 10 and 12 and projecting above the plane of the top horizontal sections or members 16 and supporting on' their projected ends the top horizontal sections or members 17 A main heating drum 20 is disposed transversely of the rear part of the frame and is supported for rotation at the lower part of the latter on a stationary tubular section 21, which is supported at its opposite ends in suitable couplings 22 forming a part of horizontal connecting sections or members 23, the latter being connected to and extending between the vertical side sections or members 12 and 13 of the frame. Immediately above the main heating drum 20, and offset at opposite sides thereof, is arranged a pair of spaced heating drums 24 and 24', the same being each relatively of less diameter than' that of the drum '20. The drum 24 is rotatably mounted on a fixed or stationary tubular member 25, which is supported" at its opposite ends from the vertical side sections or members 12, and the drum 24 is similarly mounted on a fixed tubular member 26 extending between the opposite side sections 13, of the frame. A pair of rollers 27 and 28 are journaled, respectively, between the lower ends of the vertical sections 12 and 13. A roller 29 is supported between the intermediate portions of the sections 11, and is preferably mounted for rotation in slidable bearing sleeves 30, which may be held in adjusted position by means of set screws 31, or in any other suitable manner. Another roller 32 is supported between the horizontal sections 16, at the forward part thereof, and are also mounted for rotation in slidable bearings 33, which are adapted to be retained in adjusted position by means of set screws 34. An endless belt or web 35 .is trained over the roller 32 and extends horizontally therefrom and passes over the heating drum 24, downward to and around the main heat Patented May 22, 1917.

directions and over a fixed roller 37 and an 28, under and around the'roll'er 27, upward,

in an inclined direction, to and over the adjustable roller 29, and from thence to and around the adjustable roller 32., A second endlessbelt or -web 36istra1ned over the heating drums 20, 24 and24, and contacts the belt or web throughout its travel over the latter, and passes from the adjacent surfaces of the drums 24 and 24 in opposite adjustable roller 38, the latter being rotatably mounted in slidable bearing sleeves 39' whichare supported'on the hOIlZOIltflL section 17 of the frame, "and in alinement with the fixed roller 37 which is journaled in the couplings connecting the vertical 'sctionsl? 'with the horizontal sections 17 A. fuel supply pipe 41, leading to a fuel source (notshown) ,is provided with branch connections-=42 and 43, which lead, respec tively, to the tubular members 25 and- 26, formingthe supports or shaftsrof the drums 24' and 24 respectively, and which connec- "tionsQ42Iand 43 are each-provided with a 7 control .valvev44. A' third branch pipe 45 so I 'f the' supporting shaft for the drum tubularmembers or shafts 21, 25 and 26 are connects with a valved inlet, formed with the coupling 22,.through which fuel is ad mitted tothe tubular member 21, forming 20. The

'eachprovided with sets of conical openings 46 forthe ignition and combustion ofthe fuel passingtherethroug To regulate the temperature within the drums 20, 24 and'24, each'of the latter is formed with end walls having a plurality of openings, and are provided with rotatable plates 48 having aeorresponding numberof openings 49, which are adaptedto be moved into'and out of alinement with the first'menti'oned openings (not shown), as may be de- .s1red=,'ja fingerjgrip 50 being provided on the plates 48 ,iwhereby the same may be -*.readily operated, and the latter are preferlably formed-with-one or morecurved slots ,5 1 arrangedtocooperate with pins 52, ear y -n dby ,theend walls'47 of thedrums, for i limiting the movement of the plates in either direction. r

' '1, For the operation "pf the drums and the conveyor .belts or webs trained. thereover, power is applied to the main heatingldrum 7 1,20 by 'means ioffla pulley' 5.3 and a belt flatter connecting the v '5 of a suitable source of power, asffor instance,

I an internal combustion engine. 55, which is .fsupportedupmra bedplate ;.5 6: suitably se cured in prop'er posltion on v the oppositely disposed lower horizontal sections 14, of the frarne, and'at the forward part of the latter,

immediately below the horizontal travel f the belt or wanes, I

, eth former to the pulley In'the operation ofthe apparatus, power being applied tothe main heating drum 20, and the fuel ignited at the sets of openings .of one ormore ofthe tubular members 21, 25 and '26, of the drums 20, 24 and 24, the sheet material or articles are laid on the horizontally disposed portion of the belt or web 35, at the forward end of the machine, and are carried forward thereon and pass in between the latter and the belt or web 36 to the point of discharge at the rear of the 4 machine, where the sheets are to be collected, or are allowed to stack up in a suitable receptacle supported in proper position from the rear vertical sections 13 of the frame.

The heating drums 20, 24 and 24' may, if desired, be covered with a felt, or similar material to prevent injury to the belts or webs, and consequently to the sheets carried by the latter in their passage over the surfaces of the drums.

Having thus described the invention, and its operation, it is to be fully understood that various changes in the detailed construction and arrangement of the parts spirit and scope of the same. "Having 'what is claimed, is:. o

thereof maybe resorted to without departing from the thus fully described the invention, I

1. A drying apparatus for sheet materials comprising a frame, a plurality of heating drums carried by said frame, burners ex:

tending through each of said drums and suptheirlength, means for tensioning said webs,

and means for rotating said drums for the actuation of said webs to convey the sheets to'be dried over the heated surfaces of said drufns.

2. A drying apparatus for sheet materials f comprising a frame, a plurality of heating drums carried. by. said'frame, burners extending through each ofsaid drums and supported from said frame at their 0 posite ends, said burners forming hearings or said heating drums, means for regulating the temperature of said web conveyors trained heating drums, endless,

over" said heating 3 drums and-contacting each other for a portion of their length, means for tension'ing.

and power means for the saidweb conveyors, rotatlon of said heating drums for the actuation of said conveyor webs and-the sheets carried thereby.

' 3.;Adrying apparatus for sheet materials I a main heating drum, 2.

comprising a frame, pair ofsmaller heating drums disposed in a plane immediately above said main heating drum and oflset to either side thereof,

burners. eztendingthrough said heating drums and supported from said frame at their opposite ends, said burners forming.

" a portion of their length, means for tensioning said web conveyers', and power means for the rotation of said heating drums'for the actuation of said web conveyers and the 1 3 sheets carried thereby.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

VALENTIN consmnr TENEAU. 

